Welcome New NAPS Board Members

At its May meeting, the NAPS Board of Directors elected Ian Brownlee and LaVar Rich to fill vacancies on the NAPS Board until regular elections by the membership at the 2023 NAPS Annual Meeting to be scheduled soon.

Ian Brownlee's 30+ years with the State Department’s Foreign Service took him all over the world, and he is now ready to contribute to one of the world’s special places – the Northern Neck. He and his wife Holly moved into their house on Hull Creek in 2015, and have devoted themselves to improving its shoreline, learning how to raise oysters, and expanding their pollinator garden so their bees have a food source.

Ian’s work overseas showed him first-hand the importance of protecting our environment. He saw hills in Honduras stripped of trees to provide firewood, but also saw how carefully Mexican subsistence farmers worked their small plots so that they continued to produce generation after generation. He looks forward to continuing to learn here on the Northern Neck.

Ian is filling the board seat of Gena McKinley, who recently moved to North Carolina to take on a new role as professor in the english department of Cape Fear Community College and to care for her parents. Gena has been a member of NAPS for over 6 years and has served on the board since 2017, serving as president this past year. She has also served as Communications Chair and Creek Cleanup Team Leader, and has served on other committees throughout her tenure. She has also participated in most of NAPS' outreach events throughout the years. NAPS extends a hearty “thank you” for her leadership and dedication.

LaVar Rich is a Northern Neck native and a graduate of Northumberland High School. After receiving a B.A. in Sociology from Hood College, LaVar moved to the Washington D.C. area to start a career in hospitality at The Park at 14th restaurant & nightclub. LaVar later shifted his passion to real estate, helping clients navigate through one of the most important decisions they will ever make.

Although he is still in the real estate business, LaVar has returned to the beauty and tranquility of the Northern Neck to reconnect with nature and give back to the community. In his free time, LaVar enjoys spending time with family and friends, and helping people in need.

LaVar is filling the board seat held by Julie Hendrickson, who moved back to Northern Virginia with her husband, Ralph. Julie served on the board since 2019, shortly after they joined NAPS. She participated in NAPS' outreach events, school programs and other initiatives, including the creation of the "Duchess of Ditches" robe and crown which has become a symbol of NAPS' anti-litter campaign. We thank Julie for her years of service with NAPS and our community.